21 April 2014

The Third Grand Prize home is "The Sapphire." 4210 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths and 2 half baths. The builder is Kondro Homes. All grand prizes include the house, a car and $25,000 cash.

There are really good storage ideas in the coat room coming off the garage.

Above, the view from the front door, looking into the foyer and living area.

I quite liked this wallpaper which is reflected in the mirror of the light fixture which illuminates the staircase going down.

Perfect for outdoor entertaining!

The closet design off the master bedroom is ingenious. The photo is blurry but in explanation, this is a pull out pants rack. I really liked the storage capabilities of this walk in closet, albeit quite masculine with dark wood all around.

Below, the basement:

If backing onto a golf course isn't enough, the basement offers a large putting green complete with three holes. Last year one of the houses had a putting green in the basement as well, with a monitor mounted on the wall for training and honing your skills. This home has a large mural instead. The putting green may be a separate prize, I'm not sure.

This house has an indoor hot tub room. The fan above, situated in one of the bathrooms, would be ideal in the hot tub room.

I didn't take many photos of this house and apparently none of the kitchen. I wasn't overly impressed with the features this home has to offer, though it offers some good storage solutions and is very open.

The second Grand Prize is The Mendelssohn home. It's referred to as a Net Zero Home, powered with solar panels on the roof. It is the house I fell in love with. As soon as you enter, the paint colours, finishes, flooring, etc all contribute to a very homey feel. 3971 square feet, 3 bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms. Built by Landmark Group.

Love, love, love this kitchen!!!! The fridge is faced to match the cabinetry and check out this stove! There's also an urban cultivator so you can grow your own sprouts indoors. Left of the stove is a walk through pantry.

Above, the kitchen, dining and living room have a faux brick ceiling with beans.

Loving the living walls! You can hear water trickling behind it which is soothing.

Check out the fixtures in this large glassed in shower stall.

The master bedroom and a view of the master bath entrance, above.

Above, a mirrored end table adds to the charm.

The view out of the bedroom window is of a golf course. All three show homes share this view.

One of the bedrooms was designed for a young boy. I didn't care for the faux brick, especially in the accompanying bathroom behind the sliding door (below). The red faux brick covered the shower wall and the floor in this bathroom.

Moving on to the girl's bathroom (below):

This bathroom could be accessed through the bedroom and from the hall. Unfortunately, if one is not careful, the two doors will likely hit each other should one be open while the other is opening. A pocket door between the bedroom and the bathroom would have made more sense. Otherwise, it is a gorgeous bathroom designed for a young girl.

Above and below, the third bedroom, styled for a young lady.

This family room on the second floor is cozy with a soft area rug underfoot, large windows and a gorgeous book case that practically fills one wall. Two very comfy chairs sit by the window, inviting one to sit, have a tea, and read a good book. Sigh.

The family room in the basement is equally cozy. It doesn't feel like a basement at all!

The basement is very open. It contains an exercise room, another bathroom, two sitting areas and a small kitchenette with bar fridge. No cooking elements though.

The room to the right, through the windows seen behind the chair, houses a golf cart. I'm sure I'd find another use for it as it has French doors that open to the back as well as some built in cabinetry. It could make a good office and, since the garage is a three car garage equipped with a unit to charge your hybrid vehicle, there's certainly room to park the golf cart there.